6 THE HORSE. 



in nine cases out of ten his expectations will be grievously 

 disappointed. I therefore imagine it may serve some 

 useful pm-pose to place before my readers, whether they 

 may happen to be purchasers or breeders of horses, a con- 

 cise, plain, and simple review of the points of the horse 

 as they lie open to the inspection of an ordinary ob- 

 seiTer. Before commencing this task, however, I will 

 make a few cm-sory observations on the subject of 



THE TEMPERAMENT. 



Eveiy person understands what is meant by the tem- 

 per. Not so, however, with the temperament. Nor 

 will I attempt any scientific explanation of it at present, 

 as I could not do so without occupying a gi'eat deal 

 of time and space. Besides, it is a very difficult thing 

 to obtain an accurate knowledge of the temperaments ; 

 and such knowledge can be amved at only after minute, 

 careful, and extensive observation. Consequently, I 

 ynU. not enter further upon the subject here than I 

 consider ^dll be consistent with the general bearing 

 and intentions of this essay. 



The temperaments are usually divided into four — the 

 nervous, bilious, sanguine, and lymphatic. They are 

 never found absolutely pure and distinct from each 

 other, but are combined in different proportions in dif- 

 ferent cases ; and the preponderance of one or more 

 over the remainder will always determine the constitu- 



